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James “Burl” Notgrass

Submitted by Edgar on Fri, 01/19/2018 - 7:31am

ODESSA – James “Burl” Notgrass, 90, died on Jan. 11, 2018, in Odessa. He was born on Sep. 20, 1927, in Eastland, to James Gordon Notgrass and Rosa Mae Williams Notgrass. He graduated from Courtney High School in 1946. He married Delma “Janice” Peterson on May 2, 1953, in Stanton. They had four children. Janice died on Dec. 7, 1994. He married Laura Baker on Feb. 25, 1995, in Stanton. He worked for Sewell Ford and Joe White Lincoln-Mercury as an auto mechanic and shop foreman for almost 50 years before retiring in 1996. Burl loved hunting, fishing, fixing anything that was broken or needed improvement, his church, and above all his family. He served as a Corporal in the U.S. Army from February 1947 through September 1952. His basic training was at Fort Ord, Monterey, CA. Later he was assigned to the 38th Gun Battalion at Ft. Bliss in El Paso. Still later he was assigned to the 3rd Armored Calvary at Fort Meade, MD, before he was sent to Korea. His division participated in the defense of the Pusan Perimeter. They attempted to bridge the Imjin River to start the Armistice talks that would end the war. However, the bridge collapsed. He and others from the company were stranded on the communist side and had to be rescued by helicopters. He returned to the U.S. in Jan., 1952 and was stationed at Ft. Hood in Killeen until his discharge in Sep., 1952. He is survived by his wife Laura Notgrass of Stanton; two daughters Jan Findley of Odessa, Carolyn McConnell and her husband Craig of Roseville, CA; two sons Nathan Notgrass and his wife Haley of Farmington, NM, and Steve Notgrass and his wife Terri of Odessa; nine grandchildren, one great grandchild due in June, two brothers, three sisters and numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents and two brothers. A celebration of his life was at Northside Baptist Church Jan. 15, followed by a graveside service at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Odessa. Arrangements were under the direction of Frank W. Wilson Funeral Home in Odessa.